Imitation fuel for electric fires and radiators



IMITATION FUEL FOR ELECTRIC FIRES AND RADIATORS Filed Aug. 21, 1931Patented Feb. 20, 1934 UNITED STATES IMITA'IION FUEL FOR ELECTRIC FIRESAND RADIATORS Herbert'Henr'y Berry, London, England Application August21, 1931, Serial No. 558,025, and in Great Britain May 5, 1931 3 Claims.7 (01. 2723) This invention is directed to an improvement in artificialfires, and is more directly concerned with the construction of the fuelelement of such fires, with a View to simplifying thevconstruction,

. while at the same time permitting an unlimited range of variation insuch fuel.

Fuel for artificial fires, whether in the form of logs, coal or otherform, has heretofore'been made by casting or molding, resulting in arigid structure and ordinarily requiring, in order to simulate a firebed of logs or coal, thev molding of various shapes and sizes of logsand various shapes and sizes of coal or like artificial fuel elements inorder that the fuel bed may present the desired appearance.

It is highly desirable and important that the logs creating anartificial fire bed should, in order to present a natural appearance,be. of varying diameters, irregular and different external forms, andcapable of being grouped in regular or irregular order to therebyapproach more nearly and exactly the true and correct appearance of afuel bed made up of natural logs. This applies with equal force toartificial fuel beds of coal or like elements, for while the purpose isto create the illusion of fire, it will be appreciated that the ultimateeffort is to create the impression on the eye of a real fire bed.

The present invention, therefore, is directed to a means for forming alog simulation, particularly for use in connection with artificialfires, which means readily lends itself to the creation of logs ofdifferent diameters and varying external forms, while at the same timetheir construction and arrangement materially facilitate the use of theartificial illumination necessary to create the fire impression. I

The invention, more specifically considered, consists in the utilizationof a sheet of pliable metal of appropriate length and width exteriorlyformed to simulate the rough exterior of a log, with this exteriorformation varying at will, and the sheet finally rolled into log formpresenting a hollow-like, comparatively pliant element which, by reasonof its hollow formation, may be arranged to support illuminating meanswithin the same and which, by reason of its light character, may beformed with slits or openings to permit the escape of the rays from theilluminating means in the fire simulation and which, by reason of itshollow formation and light character, may be readily arranged andsecured in group form in regular or irregular disposition to present aunit fuel bed in which the respective elements differ one from the otheras would ordinary logs for an ordinary, natural fire bed.

The comparatively thin, pliant character of the material utilizedfacilitates log simulation in a simple, economical manner, While at thesame 60 time presenting all desirable and necessary characteristics ofsuch a fuel element in connection with artificial fires.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:- o5

' Figure 1 is a perspective view of an open hearth fireplace with fuelin accordance with the present invention supported by dogs;

Figure 2 is a plan view of a sheet of pliant material in accordance withthe invention;

Figure 3 is a perspective view oi. an imitation log formed byrollingorbending the sheet shown in Fig. 2;

Figure 4 is a front view of the imitation log shown in Fig. 3 containingelectric lamps;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of an imitation log of substantiallysmaller diameter than that of the log of Fig. 3, this small diameter loghaving been formed by well overlapping the edges of a piece of sheetmaterial such as that shown in Fig. 2;

Figure 6 is a front view of an imitation log with end pieces of wood orlike material, indicated by dotted lines, which end pieces improve therealistic appearance of the log; and

Figure '7 is a perspective view of three logs made from pliant sheetmaterial according to the invention secured together so as to form aunit.

The invention is illustrated and will be more particularly described inconnection with the formation of fuel elements of log-like form, thoughit is to be distinctly understood that the material with the essentialcharacteristics noted may, if desired, be formed into the representationof coal, coke or other fuel simulation. 95

In the adaptation of the invention to the formation of logs forartificial fires, a sheet of thin pliable material, preferably metal,though obviously any appropriate material capable of being formed asherein defined, may be used with equal 100 facility, of appropriatelength and width is first given a surface formation at 2 as by pressing,rolling or any well known process to render such surface or irregularform and configuration, simulating the normal irregularity of theexterior 105 surface of a log. This formation may be such as to simulatethe bark of a tree and may, if desired, be appropriately colored, formedwith knotty protuberances, and the sheet then rolled or coiled intoexternal log form, as 3. In this no particular, the invention, owing tothe character of the material employed, readily lends itself to shapingduring this coiling or rolling so that logs of diiferent diameters anddifferent shapes externally may be readily constructed from stripshaving the same stamping or rolling impressions,

with the result that in final form the appearances of the respectivelogs will be entirely different. The shape of the strip 1 is such as topresent lugs 4 at the ends, and said lugs may be bent across at the openend of the log to provide a means through holes 5 for supporting holders6' of ordinary incandescent lamps 7.

The strip 1 may be further formed or provided With lugs 8 which,following the rolling of the strip into log form, may be projectedoutwardly to serve as a means for supporting the log against rollingwhen arranged to provide a fire bed.

The invention also contemplates the closing of the end of the logs byinsets 10 which may be fitted into the ends of the log-forming strip andwhich may be of any material marked and colored to simulate wood or may,as a matter of fact, be actual wood insets preferably cut across thegrain of a real log to thereby materially enhance the realisticappearance of the product. The strip, either before or after rollinginto log form, may be slitted or formed with irregular openings 12 toprovide for passage of the light rays from the interior illuminatingmeans to simulate flames and this effect may, if desired, be materiallyincreased by forming that surface of the strip which is to provide theinner surface of the rolled log of a brightly reflecting nature, eithercolored or clear.

The logs so formed may be arranged in more or less realistic fuel bedarrangement and secured in this position by interwelding or byconnecting bolts, as suggested in Figure 7, to thereby provide a unitaryarrangement which may be readily and conveniently handled and placed inposition. Furthermore, in the fuel bed arrangement indicated in Figure1, the simulated logs may be secured together and also to the fire dogs16 so that the entire structure may be readily handled, positioned andremoved as a unit.

Instead of providing the lamp holders at the ends of the simulated logs,the strip 1 may be formed at appropriate points with openings, asindicated at 13 in Figure 2, which openings may be used additionally tothe end lugs 4 or independently of such end lugs, and provide forarranging the illuminating means at any desired place or places withinthe simulated log.

The invention in its characteristic improvement provides an extremelyeconomical and simple way of forming a representation of logs or otherfuel to provide a fuel bed for an artificial fire. The strips 1 may beprepared on what will form the outer surface of the simulated log in anydesired manner to render that simulation more complete. Such surface maybe formed irregularly with depressions and protuberancesor any desiredconfiguration found in natural log formation and colored in any desiredmanner to enhance the simulation. Then when the strip 1 is rolled orcoiled into log form, the capability of the strip in this particularreadily lends itself to a wide margin in log formation. For example, thestrip may be rolled so that the proximate edges do not meet, leaving aspace, indicated at 15 in Figure 7, through which the interiorillumination may be directed in greater degree than through the slits oropenings 12 and this increased illumination directed onto adjacent logsto in crease the fire appearance. The strip may, however, be rolled sothat the proximate edges may be lapped to any degree to thereby formlogs of any diameter and permitting several strips of the same length tobe utilized in providing logs of different configurations and diametersto further increase the simulation desired. Furthermore, the pliabilityof the strip lends itself to deformation even after the strip is rolledinto log form, as the character of the material readily permits theformation of indentations and irregularities in the surface toapproximately any extent desired to more perfectly indicate the usualirregular formation of logs of certain woods.

The characteristic feature of the invention is the utilization of astrip of more or less pliant material preferably, though not necessarilyof metal, which may be initially formed to provide for light openingsand to provide for receiving and supporting sources of illumination andthen this strip rolled or coiled into log form, withthe strip capable ofpresenting logs of different diametersh The exterior surface of thestrip may, even after rolling into log form, be further deformed toenhance the simulation and completely vary the appearance of one logfrom the other. Thus the provision of a series of substantiallyidentical strips manufactured and completed as such may be readily andconveniently formed into logs of different diameters and differentexterior configurations, with this adaptability a direct result of theutilization of a strip of this character, and presenting the capabilitythat a series of similar strips may without trouble, increased cost orlabor be made up to represent several logs necessary to form the firebed, with the external appearance of each log radically different fromthe external appearance of any other log. Obviously, in the hands of oneskilled in arranging for or providing the details of such a fire bed,the logs may be arranged to give an unusually perfect simulation of afire.

Openings may be readily formed in the strip even following the logformation where such openings are desirable to permit increased lightescape, the proximate edges of the strip when in log forming relationmay be left in spaced relation to provide an unusual amount of lightemission, and various other detail changes quite obvious to one skilledin this particular art may be made in each one or several of the logsmaking up the fire bed to materially vary the light effect, to increaseit at one point or reduce it at another point, with the effect to moreperfectly simulate the fire appearance. Obviously, in this respect theinvention presents radical and marked advantages over the conventionalfuel for artificial fires. Where such fuel is made up by casting ormolding, it is, when completed, fixed in its final form and so remainsincapable of change. In the present arrangement, the fuel elements maybe readily and conveniently changed at any time and practically byanyone, and while it is not contemplated that this will ordinarily bedone, nevertheless it forms a characteristic feature of importance ofthe particular invention.

Of course, it is to be understood that where logs are more specificallyreferred to herein, it is understood that the invention is equally andobviously applicable to the formation of coals or other type fuel.

I claim:-

1. A blank for the construction of a simulated log for use in artificialfires, comprising a relativeiy thin section of metal of appropriatelength and width having one surface formed to simulate the exteriorsurface of a. log, the blank being formed with projections to receiveand support illuminating means, the blank being further formed withbendable portions to be projected exteriorly of the log-simulatingsurface to provide rests to prevent rolling of the log in use.

2. A simulated log for use in artificial fires, comprising a section ofsheet metal having one surface formed to simulate a log, with the sheetrolled into log form, with the log simulating surface on the outside,members carried by the sheet to support illuminating means interiorly ofthe log, and end sections simulating a section of a log for closing theends of the rolled sheet.

3. A simulated log for use in artificial fires, comprising a section ofsheet metal having one surface formed to simulate a log, with the sheetrolled into log form, with the log simulating surface on the outside,members carried by the sheet to support illuminating means interiorly ofthe log, end sections simulating a section of a log for closing the endsof the rolled sheet, and projections outstanding from the log simulatingsurface to prevent rolling of the log in use.

HERBERT HENRY BERRY.

